Numerous designs for containers for packaging ice cream and like commodities have been proposed. The assignee of the subject application is the owner of the following U.S. patents and patent applications: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,239,115; 4,328,656; 4,431,129; 4,526,563; 4,555,027; 4,679,694; D 293,211; 4,669,614; 4,749,086; 4,756,470; 4,757,902; 4,838,432; 4,819,864; 4,826,074; 4,872,609; RE 33,010; RE 33,204; U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 023,845; Ser. No. 132,856; and Ser. No. 138,026 which are incorporated herein by reference.
The aforementioned U.S. patents and applications relate to the design, manufacture, filling and assembly of carton blanks for packaging such commodities as ice cream and the like. At the outset, as is readily evident from the above documents, a carton blank is mass produced from web or sheet stock. Carton blanks, so produced, are subsequently erected, filled, and sealed by a high speed cartoner. More specifically, the cartoner erects the carton blank from a collapsed carton tube forming a hollow tube with first and second open ends. The end flaps disposed adjacent one end of the tube are folded in and adhesively secured to form a sealed carton end. A filler head is aligned with the remaining open end to dispense ice cream in a semi-liquid or liquid state into the partially erected carton blank. Once filled, the end flaps of the remaining open end are folded in and adhesively secured thereby forming a sealed carton.
The above manufacturing, filling and assembly processes dictate several desirable characteristics for a blank and carton. In this regard, it is advantageous for a blank to be designed such that a minimal amount of scrap or waste material is produced during the blanking process. Additionally, the end flaps necessarily must be adapted to be sequentially folded without hinderance. Moreover, it is imperative that the erected carton have an adequate seal to prevent leakage of the contents therefrom.
The present invention is directed to a novel and unobvious blank, carton and method for forming the same embodying the aforementioned desirable attributes.